This briefing paper reviews evidence of the impacts of the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on food prices, with a focus on corn and soy, and presents new analysis on the impact of the RFS on U.S. livestock farmers. Studies examining the relationship between food prices and biofuel demand conclude …
Credit Suisse-backed private equity firm Hudson Clean Energy Partners will focus on investments in wind, solar and biofuels, with deal sizes averaging about $100 million, its managing partners said Wednesday. John Cavalier, former head of Credit Suisse's renewable energy investment banking practice, and Neil Auerbach, Hudson's founder, said in an …
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defended Brazil's production of biofuels on Wednesday, rejecting criticism that they are furthering a surge in global food prices and harming the environment. "Don't tell me, for the love of God, that food is expensive because of biodiesel. Food is expensive because the world …
The idea of turning farms into fuel plants seemed, for a time, like one of the answers to high global oil prices and supply worries. That strategy seemed to reach a high point last year when Congress mandated a fivefold increase in the use of biofuels. But now a reaction …
EU Environment Chief Raises New Biofuels Condition BELGIUM: April 16, 2008 BRUSSELS - The European Union's environment chief raised new conditions on Tuesday for the use of biofuels in road transport, saying social concerns such as food prices and food security must be taken into account. Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas …
Fuel Choices, Food Crises and Finger-Pointing Published: April 15, 2008 Food Prices Rise But now a reaction is building against policies in the United States and Europe to promote ethanol and similar fuels, with political leaders from poor countries contending that these fuels are driving up food prices and starving …
Clearly, there is a mismatch between demand and supply of cereals. And the factors contributing to this widening gap are more than just population growth. Although the reasons for shooting prices vary from cereal to cereal and region to region, there are certain overarching trends that have contributed to the …
EU Can Hit Biofuels Goal Without Conflicts - Germany SLOVENIA: April 14, 2008 BRDO - The European Union can achieve its 2020 target to get 10 percent of all transport fuel from biofuels without adding to soaring food prices and harming rainforests, Germany's environment minister said on Saturday. "We can …
Chances are you've heard of hybrids and biofuels, but what about oil-producing yeast and turbinelike buoys that transform ocean waves into electricity? Those are just a few of the alternative-energy sources that may power the future, according to Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund and coauthor, with Miriam …
France Says Food Should Take Priority Over Biofuels FRANCE: April 14, 2008 PARIS - Production of food must take precedence globally over biofuels as prices surge and the threat of famine grows, France's farm minister said on Friday, calling for a European Union initiative on world supplies. "Absolute priority must …
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged his Japanese counterpart to include the impact of biofuel production on food prices on the agenda of the G8 summit in July, Downing Street said Thursday. "There is growing consensus that we need urgently to examine the impact on food prices of different …
The European Union faced calls to abandon plans to increase bio fuel use from its,, own scientific advisers yesterday. The scientific committee of the European Environment Agency said a target of having 10 per cent of transport fuel derived from plants by 2020 could deprive millions of people of food …
Advice for those trying to solve the global food crisis: do not start from here. As governments across the developing world impose export bans on staple foods, further worsening the shortages on inter
The German government has been forced into an embarrassing climbdown over its plans to lead a worldwide biofuels revolution on the roads after the discovery that too many cars would be unable to run on the proposed ethanol-petrol mix. The environment minister, Sigmar Gabriel, had planned to introduce the new …
Grains gone wild What's behind the world food crisis? These days you hear a lot about the world financial crisis. But there's another world crisis under way - and it's hurting a lot more people. I'm talking about the food crisis. Over the past few years the prices of wheat, …
From his Cessna a mile above the southern Amazon, John Carter looks down on the destruction of the world's greatest ecological jewel. He watches men converting rain forest into cattle pastures and soybean fields with bulldozers and chains. He sees fires wiping out such gigantic swaths of jungle that scientists …
Food Prices To Rise For Years, Biofuel Firms Say UK: April 4, 2008 LONDON - Staple food prices will rise for some years, but should eventually fall to historical averages as harvests increase, biofuel company executives said on Thursday. Soaring demand for better quality food from rapidly industrialising emerging markets …
While the advocates of biofuel as a viable option or supplement to conventional fuels feel that India must shift over to cheaper alternatives that are not in the grip of oil cartels, its opponents vehemently oppose any such move This year's Budget is notable for waiver of excise duty on …
